Propeller



A. WHITE PROPELLER Aug. 4, 1936;

Filed July 10, 1935 INVENTOR j W146;

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROPELLER Allen White, Newton, Kans.

' Application July 10, 1935, Serial No. 30,699

' 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a propeller and more especially to self-regulating wind wheels or propellers. I

The primary object of the invention is the 5 provision of a wheel or propeller of this character, wherein the pitch of its blade is automatically regulated by the centrifugal force in the operation of such wheel or propeller, the

latter being usable for the driving of a gener- '10 ator for the production of electricity'for farm go wherein the construction thereof is novel in form so that its blades will be self-regulating for" varying the pitch thereof in the working .of the wheel or propeller.

A still further object of the invention is the g provision of a wheel or propeller of this character, which issimple in its construction, automatic in the working thereof, thoroughly relia- 'ble and eflicient in operation, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view,'the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinaften more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses 8B the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended. In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation eta-wheel or propeller constructed in accordance with the in- 40 vention. y

Figure 2 is a rear elevationshowing one of the blades partly in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-40:

Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 4 is an enlarged end elevation partly in section looking toward one of the blades of the propeller. a

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line H 60 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-4 of Figure 1.

Figure '1 is a sectional view on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.

55 Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a portion of a stand or upright support, it being of conventional kind and .has 5 provided at its upper end or built into the same a bearing B'for an ulcer shaft i0 which is adapted to carry the wheel or propeller constituting the present invention and hereinafter fully described. 10 The wheel or propeller comprises a hub H of metal having a tapered center bore l2 for accommodating a similarly tapered outer end 13 of the axle. or shaft I0 and this hub is made fast upon the axle or shaft by a nut l4 threaded upon 15 the outer end of the latter. The hub is formed at its forward end with a circular body portion or disk-like head I 5. having marginally thereof a rearwardly'bent annular flange l6. Extending through suitable clearances provided in the flange -1c are angularly disposed arms II, these tumable in tubular housings III as fitted within the flange l6 and beyond these housings the arms I! fit with blades I! which are made fast by cross securing pins 20.

.The arms I'I are formed with angle inner ends that aiford cranks 2i having ball terminals 22, these being loosely engaged in socketed companion bearings, each in two parts or sections 23 secured to a floating disk 24 having a sleeve center 25 loosely embracing the hub ll. This sleeve 25 is rotatable and slidable longitudinally of the said hub l l under centrifugal action of the wheel or propeller. The ball terminals 22 engaging the bearings 23 eifect a universal joint connection between the cranks 2| of the arms I] and the said disk 24. The disk 24 is slotted at 20 to reduce the weight thereof, it being made from metal. Each blade I! is formed with a flat side 21 and 40 an arched opposite side 20, these sides being bent from a single piece of material with the meeting'i'ree edges 20 united by brazing or welding 30. The arm I I at that portion fitted with its blade i9 is received'in a tubular longitudinal brace SI which extends throughout a major portion of the length of the blade and is intermediate of its leading and heel edges, the brazed or welded edges 30 being at the heel side of the blade.

The blades carry brackets 32 to which are connected coiled tensioning springs 33, these being connected to the corners .30 of a triangular shaped connector or tie plate 05 which is arranged forwardly of the hub H and next to a the nut II which makes fast the hub H upon the axle or shaft Ill. These springs 33 cooperate with each other to have the blades is normally face the wind at the sides 21 thereof, the wheel or propeller being wind driven and through the axle or shaft ID will furnish power for the driving of machinery or the like.

Under the wind action the wheel or propeller will be self-adjusting to alter the pitch of the blade l9 thereof, as the greater portion of the working face 2'! is to the rear of the axis 3!, which causes the rear portion to yield and present less surface of the blade to the wind as the wind increases. The centrifugal force will cause the opposite rotation and thereby tend to rotate the blades into the plane of revolution and thus present more surface of the blades to the wind. Also the angle between the spring and the axis 3| and the eccentric attachment of the springs and brackets 32, will determine the rotation of the blades on their axes. Thus the blades l9 under adjustment will simultaneously alter their pitch uniformly with each other by reason of the hook-up of the cranks 29 with the disk 2i.

Located between the head it and the disk 24; is a lubricant soaked filling oi fibrous material ll which when compressed by the shifting of the disk 26 on the hub it will lubricate the parts adjacent to said filling ll for the smooth operation of the wheel or propeller. Connected with the flange l8 and the hub ii rearwardly oi the disk 26 are braces 38 which maintain the blades in their radially disposed relation to each other and to the hub H and the head. l5 to withstand impact of wind currents during the opera tion of the wheel or propeller.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawing the gradual change in the shape of each blade is clearly disclosed at different points of the blade throughout the length of the same with the advance edge of said blade gradually rounding as at 39 and 40. The wheel or propeller constituting the present invention in its build is preferably made entirely of metal so as to give longevity thereto in the use of the same. The blades of the wheel or propeller are very sensitive to wind current and their pitch will be altered by centrifugal force for the proper working of the wheel or propeller.

The disk 24 has the cut away portions ll for the cranks 2| which extend into the bearings 23 for the universal or ball joint connections of said cranks with the disk as is clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawing.

What is claimed is:

In a propeller of the class described, a hub having a hollow head surrounding the same, a plurality of tubes welded to and extending inwardly and outwardly beyond the head, a disk slidably mounted on the hub and provided with a plurality of sockets, blades, rods to which the blades are connected adjustably secured in the tubes but fixed thereto, and said rods having angle ends terminating in ball heads which are received in the sockets and a coiled tension spring between each blade and the outer face of the hub.

ALIEN WHITE. 

